The Law and Sin

⁷ What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, ^(A)I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if ^(B)the law had not said, “You shall not covet.”

²⁰ For ^(A)by works of the law no human being^[a] will be justified in his sight, since ^(B)through the law comes knowledge of sin.

¹⁵ For ^(A)the law brings wrath, but ^(B)where there is no law ^(C)there is no transgression.

^17 (A)“You shall not covet ^(B)your neighbor's house; ^(C)you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's.”

⁵⁶ The sting of death is sin, and ^(A)the power of sin is the law.

²¹ “‘And you shall not covet your neighbor's wife. And you shall not desire your neighbor's house, his field, or his male servant, or his female servant, his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's.’

⁹ For the commandments, ^(A)“You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: ^(B)“You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

⁸ But sin, ^(A)seizing an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness. ^(B)For apart from the law, sin lies dead.

⁵ But if our unrighteousness serves to show the righteousness of God, what shall we say? That God is unrighteous to inflict ^(A)wrath on us? (^(B)I speak in a human way.)